Harder brings walnut farmer from Hughson to State of the Union. He’s a Republican

John Casazza, a walnut grower and processor near Hughson, will attend the State of the Union address Tuesday night.

He will be the guest of Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, as President Donald Trump delivers the speech to a joint session of Congress in Washington, D.C.

The new congressman noted in a news release Monday that Casazza is a “lifelong Republican” whose business is affected by tariffs of the sort that Trump has imposed, notably on China.

“I appreciate the opportunity to join Rep. Harder to show that we in the Valley can put politics aside and focus on what matters,” Casazza said in the release.

He and his father-in-law founded Mid Valley Nut in 1970. It is part of a Stanislaus County walnut industry that brought an estimated $164 million in gross income to growers in 2017.

“For decades, John and his business have created local jobs and boosted the Central Valley economy, while also connecting the goods we grow here at home to markets around the world,” Harder said. He serves on the House Committee on Agriculture.

It will be the second time in three days that Hughson-area walnut processors attend a major national event. John and Catherine Mundt were in Atlanta to watch son Johnny Mundt play for the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl. They own Alpine Pacific Nut Co.

The Republican president is scheduled to deliver the State of the Union at 6 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday.